ABSTRACT
At least 30% and 50% of pesticides and pharmaceuticals are chiral compounds, respectively. Chiral molecules share similar physicochemical properties in an achiral environment but have considerable differences in a chiral environment. However, some chiral molecules have configurational lability, as their enantiomers can convert to the other enantiomer. This process is called chiral inversion. In abiotic systems, chiral inversion is often photo-, solvent-, thermal-induced. Compounds with helical and planar chirality often undergo chiral inversion in abiotic systems due to lower energy barriers. In contrast, compounds with stereogenic centers often have higher energy barriers and mostly undergo biologically mediated chiral inversion. The biological properties of chiral compounds depend on the activity of one enantiomer or both enantiomers targeting different pathways. As a result, chiral inversion alters the biological activities of the compound. This chapter discusses the fundamentals of chiral inversion and its implications on the fate and toxicity of chiral pollutants.
